DREO AC516S test: Portable air conditioner for hot days

Summertime is heat time. Many people are desperate to find a solution to this problem. I speak from experience. I have already tried out numerous gadgets, from blackout blinds and classic fans to promising cooling devices, to cool down my attic on hot days. I was not successful. But even a typical air conditioning system is out of the question for me. Their installation is often time-consuming and the purchase costs are high. In the DREO 516S test, we took a look at a portable device that aims to impress with its simple installation and strong cooling performance.

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Technical data

Model	DREO Portable Air Conditioner 516S
Dimensions	36.5 x 44 x 71.45 cm
weight	28.54 kg
Timer	1-24 hours
Air flow	Swivel airflow (35° to 80°)
Maximum coverage	5 m
Power consumption	12,000 BTU/h ≈ 3.52 kW
Noise level	min. 46 dB
Wide angle	60°
Price	€ 669.95 *

Scope of delivery

Universal window kit & hose x 1
Remote control x 1
Mobile air conditioner x 1

DREO AC516S Test: Design and workmanship

The DREO AC516S is a rather inconspicuous device. And that is by no means meant in a negative way. The air conditioner is available in either black or white. For our test, DREO sent us the portable air conditioner in a white housing. This allowed me to place it comfortably in front of the white wall of my bedroom without it standing out in a negative way. The two ventilation slots from which the cool air flows into your home are located at the top of the AC516S.

The fan should be able to reach a range of up to 5 m. The air outlet, on the other hand, is located at the rear and is used to transport the warm exhaust air out of your home via a hose. A control unit with touch-sensitive buttons is located under the ventilation slots. You can use these not only to start and stop the air conditioning. You can also regulate the desired temperature and activate the night mode.

Below the control bar is a circular display that is reminiscent of other DREO devices such as the DREO WH517S heater (Review | € 109.99 *). As this is a portable air conditioner, a suitable carrying device is of course a must. DREO has placed suitable inlets on the left and right of the housing, which you can use to carry the air conditioner. You can also simply roll it to the place of use using the castor on the underside.

There is also a practical remote control for the air conditioner. This allows you to operate it conveniently without a smartphone with the DREO app. We’ll tell you later why the app is still useful. In terms of build quality, there is nothing to complain about with the AC516S. It doesn’t crack or creak at any point. However, at just under 30 kg, it is anything but light. Thanks to the castors, however, you generally won’t feel a thing.

DREO AC516S test: Lightning-fast start-up

As with other portable air conditioners, the DREO model is very easy and, above all, quick to set up. Once you have chosen a suitable location, all you have to do is plug the air conditioner into a socket and you’re ready to go. This is also due to the fact that the DREO arrives fully assembled.

All you really have to do is install the exhaust air hose at the back. And that’s also done quickly. Once everything is installed, however, you have to ask yourself a rather complex question. How do you install the exhaust air hose on the window so that the warm air is reliably extracted? Well, that’s not so easy in this country. After all, windows in Germany are usually opened and, unlike in the USA for example, are not pushed open.

It is therefore quite a challenge to route the hose to the outside in such a way that new warm air cannot immediately enter through the window. However, there are various solutions for this. If you are looking for a professional solution, you can use Plexiglas panels, for example. You can also buy special seals for top-hung windows. If you want to take things seriously, you can also drill a core hole and lead the warm air through the house wall using a hose.

For our test, I worked quite rudimentarily and relied on my roller blind, which reached all the way down to the exhaust air pipe. Of course, a little warm air got inside on the left and right, but that should be enough for a test. It should be said, however, that you should look for a more effective sealing solution if you don’t want the DREO to be too energy-hungry.

DREO AC516S test: Cooling performance

After we recently took a closer look at the EcoFlow Wave 3 (Review | € 1,399.00 *), the DREO model is now another portable air conditioner. But apart from the movable design, there is also a decisive difference between the two devices. While the Wave 3 allows battery operation, the DREO AC516S only allows mains operation. However, the areas of application are also completely different.

EcoFlow’s concept for its mobile air conditioning system was probably primarily aimed at campers and fans of van tours. The DREO, on the other hand, is intended for use in the home. The castors on the underside make it easy to move from place to place. Thanks to its mains operation, the DREO also offers a decisive advantage. With a whopping 12,000 BTU, it offers almost twice as much cooling capacity as the 6,100 BTU EcoFlow.

But does the power of the DREO also pay off in practice? Definitely! I tested the cooling device on two consecutive days with an outside temperature of 33°C on each day. You could also describe these as classic hot summer days. In my bedroom, the thermometer reached a cozy 28°C. The best conditions for using air conditioning. And it more than paid for itself.

It only took me just under a quarter of an hour to cool the entire upper floor with a floor area of around 40 m² down to a pleasant 24°C. The bedroom, where the air conditioning unit was located, cooled down to the desired temperature within two to three minutes. The 24°C I achieved corresponds to the air conditioner’s Eco mode. If you want less, you can of course also set this comfortably.

DREO AC516S test: DREO app

The DREO AC516S offers you various control options. You can not only control the air conditioner using the control unit on the device itself. The manufacturer also includes a practical remote control with display that you can use for remote control. To prevent you from misplacing the remote control, DREO also offers a practical storage surface on the device itself. A magnetic surface on the top ensures that the remote control stays in place.

Thanks to the display on the front of the AC516S, you can always see the current status of the air conditioner. The focus is of course on the current target temperature. But you can also see other things here, such as the active connection to the Wi-Fi network. And you need this to be able to monitor and control the air conditioner from outside the home. This works via the DREO app. Once connected, you can make various settings here. And there really are a lot of them.

Firstly, you can set the mode. The normal mode is called “Cool”. Here, the DREO works like a classic air conditioner. You can also select gradations within the mode. In addition to ECO mode, there is also a sleep mode. However, if you simply want to provide a little air circulation, you can also use the AC516S as a fan. A drying mode is also on board. This allows you to regulate the room humidity.

The water that the DREO filters out of the air here ends up in the water tank. The app is not only clearly laid out, but also offers more than enough setting options. You can really let off steam here to adapt the air conditioning system to your needs. In addition to the device, remote control and app, the DREO can also be controlled with your voice. Compatibility with Amazon Alexa and Google Home make it possible.

DREO AC516S test: Unfortunately loud

I don’t know about you, but I mainly use air conditioners at night. But to make sure you really get a wink of sleep, the device shouldn’t be too loud. If you also want to use the DREO at night, it would be advisable to buy some Oropax. Unfortunately, the air conditioning is loud and I couldn’t hear it at night. Unfortunately, the sleep mode does nothing to change this. So one solution would be to pre-cool your bedroom in advance and hope to fall asleep as quickly as possible when the air conditioner is off again.

Conclusion

The DREO AC516S proves in the test that a portable air conditioner can be both powerful and convenient to use. Its cooling performance is particularly impressive: even at outside temperatures of around 33 °C, it brings medium-sized rooms to a comfortable temperature in no time at all. The simple commissioning, solid workmanship and extensive control options – from physical remote control to app and voice control – make it a flexible everyday helper. However, the powerful cooling performance also comes at a price in the form of a rather high volume, which can be disturbing, especially in the bedroom. However, if you primarily cool during the day or in living rooms, the DREO AC516S is a reliable partner for hot days.